Sliding clamp



April 22, 1958 c. E. ANDERSON SLIDING CLAMP Filed Jan. 8, 1954 IN V EN TOR. n dam on Cor/ Eric United States Patent SLIDING CLAMP Application January 8, 1954, Serial No. 402,979

2 Claims. (Cl. 248-63) This invention relates to the construction of hanger clamps used for the suspension of electric wires and other lines from the overhead structure of buildings.- The distribution of power to the wide assortment of machines and equipment distributed about the working area of a factory floor is complicated by the necessity of frequently shifting the arrangement of the machines as dictated by the requirements of production. The cost of a suflicient number of permanent electric outlets to accommodate the machinery in an infinite variety of locations is excessive, and the alternative is the use of a relatively few major power outlets which are connected to the several machines by wires temporarily suspended in position through the use of devices of the general type to which this invention is related.

A consideration of first importance in the design of these devices is the ease of installation. Wires are ordinarily hung from the overhead structure at a considerable distance from the floor, which makes it necessary for the installation procedure to be handled from a ladder. It is certainly preferable that such installation be a oneman procedure, and the necessity of pulling a wire taut before clamping it makes it necessary to have the clamp easily adjustable so that it can be tightened with one hand.

The number of these devices which may be used in hanging a large network of wires is considerable, and the cost of construction is therefore also an important consideration. This invention provides a construction for a hanger clamp which can be manufactured primarily of formed sheet metal components and relatively standard items. It is readily assembled through the use of spot welding; and when assembled, the principal components are locked in relationship so that they cannot accidentally slip out of engagement.

The several features of the present invention will be analysed in detail through a discussion of the particular embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawing. In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a clamp constructed according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is a top view of the device shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section taken on the plane 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a section taken on the plane 44 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a section taken on the plane 5-5 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a view showing the installation of the device.

Referring to the drawing, a trough 10 forms a linereceiving member in which a wire 11 (refer to Figure 6) may be placed during the installation of the unit. A side of the trough 10 is extended at 12 and 13 to provide a slot between these elements receiving the portion 14 J of the frame 15 which supports the clamping members 16 and 17. An elongated member 18 of hat-shaped cross-section is secured to the portion 14 of the frame, preferably with the system indicated in Figure 5. The back 19 of the frame is provided with an opening 20, and the indentations 21 and 22 are made after the portion 2,831,646 Patented Apr. 22, 1958 18 has been placed in assembled relationship with the posite outer 'portions to the' 'extensions 12 and 13 as indicated in Figure 2"at 26 and 27. The covering plate 25 is formed in the central portion thereof to receive the portion 18 between it and the extensions 12 and 13, thus providing a guideway to establish the sliding relationship between the clamping members 16 and 17 and the trough 10.

At the opposite extremity of the frame 10 from the portion 14, the threaded member 28 is mounted to receive a bolt 29. The preferred form of the construction of the frame 15 and the mounting of the threaded member 28 is indicated in Figure 4. A standard nut is surrounded by a sheet of metal which comes together at the back 19 of the frame 15 to form a double thickness. The nut 28 is secured in position with spot welding as indicated at 30 and 31. The construction of the frame member 15 in this fashion has the advantage of providing the double thickness of material at the upper end, each lamination of which is advantageously formed laterally to establish the clamping members 16 and 17.

The lower extremity of the bolt terminates in the wing member 32, and the upper end bears against a formed area 33 at the underside of the trough 10. Rotation of the bolt 29 will induce the trough to move upwardly against the clamping members 16 and 17, accompanied by the sliding action at the guideway formed by the cover plate 25 The unit described above may be conveniently hung from the overhead beam 34 through the use of a rodshaped hanger 35 which engages a suitable hole machined in the beam 34. A hook-shaped lower end of the hanger 34 engages the opening 36 in the portion 14 of the frame. It is preferable that the wire 11 be looped so that it passes twice through the trough 10 to increase the effectiveness of the clamping action.

The particular embodiments of the present invention which have been illustrated and discussed herein are for illustrative purposes only, and are not to be considered as a limitation upon the scope of the appended claims. In these claims, it is my intent to claim the entire invention disclosed herein, except as I am limited by the prior art.

I claim:

1. A hanger clamp for the suspension of flexible lines, said clamp comprising: means forming a line-receiving trough; guideway means secured to extended portions of a side of said trough; frame means formed of a double thickness of material and having a back portion receivedsaid frame means also including a porin said guideway, tion disposed normally underneath said line-receiving trough, and said frame means also having hanger-attaching means; a clamping member including oppositelyturned portions of each lamination of said double thickness of material, respectively, and disposed opposite said linereceiving trough; an internally threaded member embraced by said material and secured thereto at said frame portion disposed underneath said line-receiving trough:

and bolt means having threaded engagement with said internally threaded member and disposed to bear against the underside of said line-receiving trough to positon the same with respect to said clamping member to generate clamping action therebetween.

2. A hanger clamp for the suspension of flexible lines, said clamp comprising: means forming a line-receiving trough; guideway means secured to extended portions of a side of said trough and including a member having 0p posite outer portions thereof secured to said extended portions, said member having a central portion spaced from said extended portions; frame means having a back portion traversing and slideably received in the space between said extended portions and the central portion of said member, said frame means having hanger-attaching means and also having a portion extending normally underneath said line-receiving trough; a clamping member mounted on said frame means normally above said trough; and bolt means having threaded engagement with said frame means at a position normally underneath said trough, said bolt means being disposed to bear against the underside of said trough means to position the same with respect to said clamping member to generate clamping action therebetween.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 702,919 Boyd June 24, 1902 1,248,025 Simon Nov. 27, 1917 1,833,578 Jester Nov. 24, 1931 

